Athletes certainly are not immune to drug abuse. In fact, some studies have shown that they are more prone to addictive tendencies. The most recent high-profile athlete who addiction issues have come out is NBA star Lamar Odom.

Odom has had issues with drugs since before graduating high school and college, but had seemed to turn his life around. He had a fairly successful NBA career, including being named the NBA’s “Best Sixth Man” a few years ago. As reported in www.examiner.com.

Now, Odom appears to be losing everything to substance abuse. That includes his marriage to Khloe Kardashian who kicked the star out of the house in mid-August.

Although there have been reports that his marriage was on the rocks because Odom may have been unfaithful to his wife of almost four years, the real problem may be the NBA star has reportedly had a serious problem with recreational drugs for the past two years.

Last August Odom allegedly checked into a rehab center in San Diego, and 29-year-old Kardashian hired a private investigator to stand guard outside the center to make certain Odom would not leave. The 33-year-old Odom constantly threatened to check out, but he ended up staying for three weeks before finally leaving for good.

Currently Odom’s whereabouts are completely unknown. I know for a fact he is not enrolled in any Internet based drug courses. His family thinks he is totally binging on drugs and needs help. We will follow this story as it develops.

There is no denying that people can justify using drugs. The mind is a powerful thing – it can justify drug use for anything from medical need to religious purposes.

As one of the most popular drugs used throughout the world is cannabis, whether it is ingested or inhaled it is used for a wide range of purposes.

In fact, there are people around the world who have been using it for thousands of years for religious and spiritual purposes. In the Old World, cannabis was believed to help hypnotize people.

The first documented usage for religious and spiritual purposes dates back to 2000 B.C. in India. Historians also suggest it's use in the 2nd and 5th Century BCE when it was used for ceremonial practices by the Scythians.

Rasta Man

In today’s modern culture, the religious and spiritual use of cannabis is not as relevant as it once was in the Old World, yet there are some groups who still employ it's use as common practice. One of the largest groups who follow this type of cannabis usage is known as the Rastafarian movement. The Rastafarians formed in the 1930s in Jamaica and they worship the Emperor of Ethiopia. They believe that smoking cannabis increases the natural consciousness, which aids their need for sacramental and sanctifying rites. Rastafarians believe that smoking marijuana helps them stay close to the truthful and faithful way of life that they seek.

Even though religious and spiritual use of cannabis is not as popular as it once was, that has in no way diminished the overall popularity of the drug itself.

It is an unfortunate reality that Hollywood often has a strong influence on society and often how people behave. There is no doubt that society and what it likes also influences what types of films and characters are popularized.

Film has always had a strong impact on society and the different groups of people who exist within it. Movies can have a negative effect on people who watch them for they have caused deaths, gun control issues, violence, and drug addictions. For some, it is difficult to separate real life from the world that they see in a two hour film.

There are many genres of films including romantic comedies, slapstick comedies, black and white comedies, and there’s even something referred to as a stoner film.

The type of sub-genre referred to as a stoner films is a movie that is centered around or based on the use of marijuana. Usually, these types of movie involve cannabis use in a funny or silly way and it’s almost always done in a positive way, which is why so many people watch these films and want to smoke. Some of the most popular films in this sub-genre are the Cheech & Chong movies, “Dazed and Confused”, “Half Baked”, and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”. One of the most popular television shows over the past decade was Showtime’s “Weeds”.

These shows glorify marijuana use in ways that can seriously cause aberrant behavior among some viewers. What do you think about “stoner films?”

This is the sixth in a series of blogs looking at one of the latest nicotine fads to hit the country. Unlike some of the other short-lived fads, e-cigarettes appear to be here for the long haul. In fact, I could easily see their growth increasing by 1000% or more in the coming years.

Devotees of the e-cigs tout them as a way to break addiction to real cigarettes. They insist the devices address both the nicotine addiction and the behavioral aspects of smoking without the more than 4,000 chemicals found in cigarettes. As reported in www.sfgate.com.

The jury is still out as to whether they are a healthier alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes. I would be surprised if they were worse.

The Food and Drug Administration plans to assert regulatory authority over e-cigarettes in the near future. Public health officials say the safety of e-cigarettes and their effectiveness in helping people quit regular smokes haven't been fully studied.

The market for e-cigarettes has grown from the thousands of users in 2006 to several million worldwide. Analysts estimate sales could double this year to $1 billion. Some go as far as saying consumption of e-cigs could surpass consumption of traditional cigarettes in the next decade.

One interesting point is that so far e-cigarettes have resulted in 600 million less cigarettes being sold. However, that is not even 1% of the market

Altria, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of traditional tobacco cigarettes said its cigarette volumes fell about 5 percent to 29.7 billion cigarettes compared with a year ago.

Marlboro has been under pressure from competitors and lower-priced cigarette brands as consumers face economic pressure and high unemployment. The company has introduced several new products with the Marlboro brand, often with lower promotional pricing. Now it too will enter the e-cigarette market.

With all of the news about legalizing marijuana going on these days you could almost believe it was legally okay to possess and use marijuana. With its current status as a medicinal alternative in more than 15 states you might think it actually was a medicine.

Folks, beware - marijuana is illegal under federal law in any amount in any location in the country.

Here are some facts about marijuana use in our country. Can you believe that more than one in three people (33.5% of the entire population) admit to using it at least once in their lifetime? How about the fact that 20% of teens between the ages of 14 and 19 have used it at least once? If that doesn’t surprise you, does the fact that almost half (49.5%) of adults ages 20-29 years old have also reported using it? Don’t think your youngster is using pot? In a poll taken on 12-year-olds, it was found that 4% of males and 2% of females have used the drug.

The wind certainly appears to be blowing in favor of relaxing marijuana laws across the country. In addition to 16 states legalizing it for medicinal purposes and two, Colorado and Washington, allowing it for recreational use, even President Barack Obama has announced that the federal government will not pursue low-level possession of the drug.

When I was growing up in the 1970s marijuana was still very much in the fringe of society. Of course there were the hippies who smoked it, but anyone else was labeled a “stoner” and basically a “loser.” Boy how times change, right?

Now marijuana is legal for recreational purposes in two states, Washington and Colorado, and for medicinal purposes in twelve others plus Washington, DC. It is estimated that more people ages 13-25 smoke marijuana than tobacco!

As crazy as it seems, it is not that uncommon for some people trying to quit smoking tobacco cigarettes move to marijuana. Again, going back to my childhood, I remember people trying to quit tobacco cigarettes switching to tobacco cigars or pipes. They still were smoking.

It’s not uncommon for someone to wonder if smoking marijuana will help or hurt their effort to quit smoking cigarettes. Both cigarettes and cannabis have their own set of risks, but it’s not necessarily clear whether or not cannabis smoking can have a negative effect on it.

Will using marijuana help you quit smoking? There is ZERO proof that it will.

Even if it did, smoking marijuana comes with its own risks. In addition to being an illegal substance (illegal under Federal Law everywhere), marijuana causes thinking impairment, impaired problem-solving skills and memory, reduced coordination and balance, increased risk of heart attack, a heightened risk of respiratory infections, and possible hallucinations and withdrawal symptoms.

Smoking cigarettes has the potential to cause a lot of long-term effects, so quitting that habit is always a good idea. But please do not quit smoking tobacco only to gain a new addiction. Take a computer based drug class to gain a better understanding of the risks associated with marijuana use and smoking.

Do you know someone who has a marijuana plant or has grown marijuana in the past? I bet you do. As a counselor for drug and alcohol educational programs I often discuss the subject of weed cultivation with my students. It may not surprise you to learn that many of my students have grown weed.

Cannabis has always been a popular drug all over the world and is one of the most commonly made-at-home drugs today. Cannabis cultivation is so popular because it can be done all naturally, rather inexpensively, and allows users to have access to consumption anytime they want without having to purchase it. It also can be done indoors.

Not sure just how to grow your weed? No worries, just attend “Weed University!” That is no joke, there are actually schools opening up to teach marijuana cultivation.

This blog is not designed to teach you how to grow, rather highlighting the essentials. First, marijuana plants can be grown with or without soil.

The second essential for cannabis cultivation is the overall warmth. There are optimal temperatures that the cannabis thrives in based on the time of day, so it’s important to pay close attention to that.

Of course light and water are crucial to the growth of any living plant. Instead of growing weed, try a drug course, either in-person or online.

Cannabis has been used as a medical treatment for thousands of years all over the world, so it has a very rich history. The legal history of cannabis in the United States dates back to as early as the 1860s, when they began to place restrictions and regulations on the sale of it. Cannabis continues to be one of the most popular drugs throughout the United States today and its history is a long and important one.

The growing of cannabis plants began as early as the year 1619 when King James I ordered every colonist to grow 100 plants specifically for export. This was England’s only colony in America, and they were growing plants specifically for hemp rope production. This was an extremely popular product in the 18th and 19th centuries throughout the United States.

By the early 1900s the rules and laws governing the distribution of cannabis grew widely, and criminalization came into effect. In 1906, the Pure Food and Drug Act was passed nationwide by the United States Congress that every non-prescription cannabis product intended for sale was properly labeled. After this, regulations in New York, Massachusetts, and Maine instated further regulations as well.

By the year 1937 something known as The Marijuana Tax Act went into effect. This Act, which fell under federal law, made it illegal to possess or transfer any type of cannabis throughout the United States including medical and industrial use which was taxed accordingly. Detailed logs and records were kept for each and every cannabis sale

The efforts to decriminalize cannabis began back in the 1970s and are still going strong today. In 1978 a man tried to sue the federal government when he was arrested for treating his glaucoma by smoking marijuana. Medical treatment is still a main driving force behind people’s fight against marijuana laws. They believe in the legal history of cannabis in the United States, but feel amendments should be made over time.

There is a fair share of people who want marijuana legalized for their own personal use, but others find that it is a true medical need. Regardless of their reason, the fight still continues and the laws have yet to be changed on a federal and national level.

For thousands of years cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes. It's use was approved for this purpose throughout the United States until the 1940s. Even though the Supreme Court passed federal laws prohibiting it's use, people still believe marijuana is successful in treating pain and nausea in ways that other medicines is not.

Science suggests that several components of cannabis are effective in controlling symptoms in certain situations. For example:

THC (the main component in marijuana) has been proven to treat nausea and vomiting that are associated with a variety of medical conditions such as the terrible side affects of chemotherapy.

Dronabinol (Marinol) the prescription form of THC is used to prevent vomiting and nausea after a patient undergoes chemotherapy and helps to increase appetites in AIDS patients.

There is no denying that chemical substances like alcohol and drugs affect our behavior. Often we will do things while intoxicated that we would not when sober.

There is no doubt that drug users will attest to the fact that sometime drugs can impair or have negative effects on one’s decision-making abilities.

Intoxicated women most certainly are prone to making poorer decisions than when sober. That is true of all people because, once again, drugs and alcohol impair coherent thought.

An unwanted sexual encounter can happen for both men and women when drugs and or alcohol are involved. The key is to maintain control. Do not get overly intoxicated. Little good can come of it.

Drugs, including illicit ones available at rave parties are referred to as psychedelic substances. The effects of these drugs is one of the reasons that people use sex and drugs in the same sentence. These drugs are known to transport the user to an altered state of mind and usually put them in a really good, loving, and affectionate mood.

Sex and drugs are two things that should be taken very seriously because they both have such dire consequences. Staying informed on what drugs are circulating out there and keeping yourself safe is a wise practice (even if a trusted friend is offering you a pill). Educate yourself by taking an online drug or alcohol class from the privacy of your own home. Keeping yourself safe, is better than suffering from an unwanted sexual incident.

Have you ever heard of “raves?” Have you ever been to one? Odds are that if you are a heavy partier you have been to a rave.

Raves have been a popular social activity for decades, although many see it as merely a place to use drugs and dance. The term rave first came about in the 1950s in Britain and it referred to the wild bohemian parties that were taking place at the time. It was briefly revived in the 1960s and 70s, but didn’t truly come back into fashion until the illegal London warehouse party scene in the mid-80s.

Raves, as they are known in the United States, originated mostly from acid house parties featuring electronic music and light and laser shows. Psychedelic drugs are certainly being used by a high percentage of the partygoers.

Some of the more popular drugs being used at raves include ecstasy, marijuana, LSD, MDMA, ketamine, and amphetamine.

As a parent would you want your child attending a rave? There are movements about to severely punish those hosting rave parties but any real legislation is a long ways off. Take an 8 hour drug class instead of going to a rave.